


Too much of a good thing.

by MariahJade2



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Door knocking, Drama & Romance, F/M, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Halloween, Inspired by The Twilight Zone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-14 12:23:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16492535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MariahJade2/pseuds/MariahJade2
Summary: Luke's greatest wish comes true in more ways than one.  For Mara's it's when good days go bad.





	Too much of a good thing.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very old fic from the crypt and has risen from the dead with a bit of new life. Thanks to F. for suggestions.

Mara Jade Skywalker paced back and forth in the rooms she shared with Luke. He was due back from class any time now. She wanted to see his eyes light up and that grin of his that seemed to go on forever, when she told him. A baby! Finally, they would have the family they’d both been denied.

The door to the bedroom opened and she didn’t need to look, to know it was him. “Mara? What’s up? I could feel your…..Mmmph!” Before he could get another word in, she pressed her lips to his and threw her arms around him. Force she loved kissing this man and she could tell he was surprised but enjoying every moment of it as he threw himself into it wholeheartedly. When they finally parted, she gave him an impish grin and pulled him towards the bed.

“Just what do you have in mind, Mrs. Skywalker?”

“Not what you’re hoping,” she said, as she watched the pout form on his face.

They both sat down and she covered Luke’s lips with her hand when he moved to kiss her again. “Not yet; I have something to show you.”

“Okay, we can do that,” he said, as he playfully tried to undo the zipper on the front of her top.

Mara smacked his hand lightly and smirked. “I didn’t mean that either. Patience, a Jedi must have patience.” She grabbed his hand and placed it on her abdomen. “I think you’ll want to introduce yourself to our baby first.” His blue eyes widened and sparkled with delight, and the smile she had wished for was brighter than the twin suns of Tatooine.

Luke caressed her abdomen lightly and stretched out with the Force. And there it was. A tiny pulse of life that was neither Luke nor Mara, but a new third being with a bit of both, and a signature all his own.

“Mara…Oh Mara.” They were all the words he could form before he pulled her into his arms and kissed her like his life depended on it. When they both finally pulled away, Mara was not surprised to see the tell- tale trace of suppressed tears, at the corners of his blue eyes. She smiled up at him as he stroked her cheek.

“I take it this means you’re happy?”

“Happy? I’m overjoyed.” A stray worried look crossed his face and he asked, in a soft voice, “Are you happy, Love?”

Mara caught the emotion and quickly reassured him. “Oh, Luke, of course I’m happy. Sure, I’m a little scared, and I know I never had any role models for how to be a good mother, but I promise I’ll learn as long as you’re by my side.

Luke pulled her into another hug, and said, “I wouldn’t be anywhere else. I’ve wished for this for so long. Would it be selfish if I said that growing up as an only child was lonely and isolating, and I don’t want that for our child, so if I have any say in the matter, we will be the parents of a roomful of kids.”

“I love you, Farmboy, but are you sure you could handle a roomful of Skywalkers?”

“I got you to marry me, I can handle anything,” and Mara could feel his smile as he covered her lips once more As the kiss continued, a ripple moved across the room displacing and distorting everything subtly and as it did, it passed through the embracing couple and they pulled apart.

“Did you feel that?” Luke asked.

“Yes. Strange. What was that?”

“I don’t know, but I can’t sense anything wrong.”

“Me neither, so where were we?” Mara asked.

Luke’s smile took on a decidedly hungry look, and he gently pushed her down on the bed, kissing her neck.

“I don’t remember being in this position,” she breathed out between kisses.

“Tough,” he said, and covered her mouth again.

Not long after that, they heard someone knocking on their common room door. Luke groaned. _Go away_ she heard him exclaim in her head as he continued exploring her with his lips. The knocking continued, and Mara reluctantly pulled away and said, “You’d better answer that.”

Luke placed his forehead on hers and kissed her lightly. “I’ll be right back.”

Mara stood up and adjusted her rumpled clothing, and followed him to the common room. Luke opened the door and seemed confused to see Tenel Ka and her mother, Teneniel Djo, standing in the hallway.

“Tenel Ka, hello! No one told me you and your mother were coming. Please come in. What can I do for you?”

Mother and daughter exchanged uncomfortable looks. “We have something important to tell you,” Teneniel Djo said to him. “I hope you can forgive me…us. I’m sorry to do this, Mara. Isolder has demanded that Tenel Ka leave Hapes. He has disowned her.”

“But why?” Luke asked.

Again, Mara saw that uncomfortable look. “Tenel Ka has been sick recently, and she needed a blood test. The prince got hold of it despite my efforts to keep it from him, and when he discovered the truth of her parentage, he was furious.”

“What are you saying?” Luke asked, confused.

“Prince Isolder is not Tenel Ka’s biological father. You are.”

The ripple of shock that ran through the room was substantial. Luke looked quickly from Teneniel to Mara and back again. He struggled to get air out of his throat.

“That’s…. that’s not possible! We were never together!

Mara knew that Luke’s shock was genuine. Just what was this woman playing at?

Tenel Ka had a downcast look on her, and her mother’s face was grim. “I’m afraid it is possible. That blow to the head I gave you was harder than I thought apparently. When I captured you, you were given the traditional potion to relax you and make it more pleasant for you.” A small smile crossed her lips. “It was a most pleasurable experience. Afterwards, you did not remember, and I also found Isolder. You didn’t want me and it hurt. You were long gone when I found out, so I thought it best she remain the daughter of a prince.”

“No, I don’t believe you. I would remember something like that.”

“It is true. You reacted differently to the drug than the men from Dathomir, but I can assure you, Tenel is your daughter.”

Tenel Ka looked at her father and said, “The witches taught me how to shield my true inner self from you. I wanted to tell you many times. I almost did, when I lost my arm.”

“How could you keep him from his child?” Mara blurted out suddenly. Teneniel looked at her and said, “He didn’t want me; Isolder gave her a good life. I didn’t keep her away. I sent her to him. Luke, I can’t stay. I need to go back and try to make Isolder understand. Tenel Ka wishes to remain here, for now. It’s always been a second home to her.”

Luke and Tenel looked at each other and needing the truth, Luke reached into the Force, as she opened up all her barriers.

“It’s true, Mara,” he finally whispered.

He needn’t have spoken. The look on his face told her all she needed to know. Mara sat on the couch, wondering how their life could change so much in just a few short minutes. She saw Luke looking over at her trying to gauge her reaction. It was not something she was ready for just yet and she closed off her feelings to him. Logic told her it was not right of her to be angry with him or jealous even, it wasn’t like he’d kept it from her, but still it was there and she needed to get it under control first.

Luke looked pained and pale but didn’t say anything, instead he turned to the two women and asked them to wait out in the student cafeteria while he went for a walk to think. Just before they left, Mara locked eyes with Tenel Ka for a brief moment and shivered at the strange look she gave her.

“I need some air,” Luke said turning to look at her. “We need to talk more when I get back. Mara will you be okay? I won’t be long.”

“Go ahead. I’ll be waiting.” He nodded to her and walked out leaving her alone. She instinctively clutched her abdomen in a protective gesture, mumbling to her child. “It will be alright.”

 

Luke left his private quarters on Yavin and walked out into the courtyard. The sun had not yet set and the sounds of life could be heard all around him from the forest nearby. He followed the path that led to the mediation garden where he usually sat by the rock fountain every day to think and let the force guide him. The stone bench nearby was cool as he sat trying to corral his emotions, to find some peace and a plan forward. How could he have taught her all this time and never once suspected her connection to him? It was a total failure of his abilities and he felt ashamed. It didn’t matter that she had blocked him, he should still have known. She was a student and he was the master. He could have been a father. And Mara, he had to find a way to reassure her. He could only hope she didn’t want to kill him right now. He tried to reach out to her, but he was still blocked. Sighing he picked himself back up cautiously realizing his emotions were too stirred up to do any mediation. Perhaps just walking would help. He was angry, he could feel bitterness trying to creep in and take over his emotions, but he couldn’t let it, he needed to let it bleed off. He started along the path that led to the jungle where he did his daily run, and as he walked, he started to feel oddly as if he was being observed. He looked over his shoulder but nothing was there. The day was hot and steamy and he was glad for the shade of the trees. A twig snapped and he looked behind him, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He continued on, but a little bit further he thought he caught the suggestion of movement just out of the corner of his eyes. It felt indistinct and formless without the shape of a human to go with it, yet he was sure he was being watched by someone. He passed two students headed back to the temple who paused to greet him and he turned to watch them as they walked back. And there along another parallel path he thought he saw someone. Whoever it was, was dressed in a robe and hood so he couldn’t see a face, but they stilled at his regard saying nothing.

He had no actual evidence to think this person was following him, so he turned and continued on his walk. It was odd, because there was hardly anyone on that side path normally, but the force was only giving him vague signals he couldn’t decipher, blended with the life force of Yavin’s jungle. He found he was turning his head back every few minutes to see if the figure was still walking behind him, because he finally decided he wasn’t imagining it, and he couldn’t escape the feeling of eyes staring at the back of his head. Rocks along the path fell under Luke’s feet making noise, yet he could hear no sound from the footfalls of his shadow. He decided to test if he was just being paranoid by stepping off into the thicket to see what would happen. His heart beat faster as he watched the hooded man come closer and move off away from him. He trembled slightly and wondered why he was jumping at shadows, but headed back having achieved no peace and no mediation. He made his way to the dining area where he’d sent Teneniel and Tenel Ka. They were sitting there as if they had been having a serious discussion when he arrived, but they both stopped talking when he walked over to them.

“Let’s go back to my quarters.” Luke motioned for them to get up. “I want you to know Tenel Ka I’m not angry with you.” Pointedly not mentioning her mother’s name and avoiding Teneniel’s gaze.

“Go on with Luke, Tenel Ka, I’ll be there in a minute,” her mother directed.

Luke walked back next to his daughter, _his daughter_ , occasionally glancing at her profile searching for some familiarity, some connection until they returned to his suite.

 

Back in the Skywalker quarters, Mara sat on the couch waiting. “Okay, I can handle this, it’s not that bad. She’s grown and capable.” It wasn’t like Mara had to raise her. She heard the door to their suite open and watched Luke enter with Tenel Ka. The girl looked unsure and tense next to Luke, yet when she noticed Mara looking at her she gazed back at Mara as if expecting a challenge. The door to their quarters was still open when Teneniel arrived. She walked in, shut it and Mara could feel Luke attempt to hold in his anger.

“Luke, I’m truly sorry. I can see I’ve caused you distress and I’ll be out of your way soon. You don’t have to worry about finances. Tenel Ka has her own credits from an account I set up for her when she was born.”

“That’s hardly what my concerns are here.”

Nobody spoke for an uncomfortable moment.

“Never the less, you should still know this because there’s more,” Teneniel’s voice broke into the silence. She walked to the door and paused until a small rapping sound came from it. She looked at Mara for permission to answer and Mara nodded back at her. Teneniel opened the door and motioned to someone in the hallway to come in. Through the door walked a hooded figure, and Mara heard Luke gasp. Two hands reached up pushing back the hood and a young man entered, the very image of Luke, except for his mismatched blue, green, and grey eyes.

“Hello, Father,” the young man said softly.

Luke’s eyes widened, and he turned to Teneniel. “Two?”

She shook her head in a negative gesture. “No, Luke. Mark is Gaeriel’s son, and he’s a bit older than Tenel Ka.”

“No! No way. Gaeriel made it very clear there couldn’t be anything between us. I only kissed her once. That was it! Just a kiss.”

Mara stood up and shouted, “All right, that’s it. All of you get out! I don’t know why you’re doing this, Teneniel, but I’m not going to let any of you hurt Luke. I don’t believe any of this. Please leave.”

“Please, Mrs. Skywalker,” the young man pleaded in an eerie copy of Luke’s voice. “I know this comes as a shock, but I promise you, I’m not here to hurt anyone. Father…”

“Stop calling me that,” Luke said, and Mara could feel that the sound of the man’s voice and his looks, unnerved him deeply.

“But you are. My mother wanted me to give you this, when the time came.” He handed Luke a holo-recording. “This will explain everything.”

Luke took the message cube warily, and activated the holo. The recording flickered once and then the image of Gaeriel stood in miniature. Mara moved to sit next to Luke, trying to calm herself.

“Hello, Luke. If you are seeing this, then I assume I am dead. Please don’t be angry with me. I did what I could to protect our son. You must be very confused and I will try to explain. When the Ssi-ruuk captured you, they brought me onboard their ship as well. Your behavior toward me told them I meant something to you, so they took me to get you to cooperate. When you woke up, they threatened to kill me if you did not do as they wished. They wanted to have a Jedi child as a back up.” The bitter tone of her voice came through even in the recording. “They forced us to…to be intimate. They said they would hold me until the child was born and take him from me.”

“Afterward, you saw an opportunity for escape. There was a fight. We got away for a short time. You managed to get me into a ship, but before you could come on board, you were hit and fell unconscious again. I was able to escape back to the planet, but found out later that Dev did something to your memory to make you forget it ever happened. Even though we defeated them, I was still afraid. When I realized that I had become pregnant, I hid Mark on Dathomir after he was born. I learned the witches there could cloak his presence and boys were not trained, so in a way Dathomir is balanced. It was very difficult for me to trust the Force that way, but I knew if I told you about him, he would become known as the son of Skywalker, and would be a more visible target, nor could I keep him on Bakura considering how many here believe. I’m sorry I kept you from him. I was afraid the Ssi-ruuk would come back for our son. You see, things do balance out, for I am dead and our son is now in your hands. I want you to know, his creation was not something I was ashamed of. No matter the circumstances, you did it to save me and I am grateful for that. Gaeriel out.”

The little image winked out and the room was deathly silent.  _Oh gods_ Luke un-shielded thoughts bled through to Mara,  W _hat am I going to do? I don’t remember anything Mara._   She touched his shoulder and turned him around to look at her, not in anger, but in confusion. He fell into her embrace as they shared their jumbled emotions through their Force bond. When he regained some of his control after this latest shock, Luke turned to the quiet young man, and said, “Gaeriel’s been dead for several years. Why did you wait so long? Why were you following me?”

“I came as soon as I could. I wasn’t following you, just looking around until I noticed it was you, so I was curious. I only learned you were my father very recently. My mother never told me. She would come for her visits, but always refused to answer my questions. She said knowing could be dangerous for me, just like it was dangerous for me to live on Bakura because of my potential powers. Then one day she stopped coming….and I learned she was dead. My Dathomirian mother did not want to lose me, so she never showed me the message cube and I only just discovered it. To say I was shocked was an understatement, learning it was you.”

“Father, will you let me stay and train? I’d like to know you.”

“Mark, I…..I don’t know what to say to you. Of course you are welcome to stay; I just need some time to come to grips with all this, and I’m afraid I’ll need to get proof.” Luke said.

The blond-haired boy started to move forward to hug his father, but stopped, unsure of what to do. Instead, he turned to Tenel Ka. “I guess this means you are my sister. Your mother didn’t explain that part.”

Tenel Ka replied, “Yes. I did not know you contacted her. Mother only told me, on our way to Dathomir. She keeps her secrets well.”

Teneniel walked over to her daughter and gave her a small embrace. “Will you be all right? I need to leave as soon as possible if I’m to get home before your fath……Isolder leaves on his trip.”

“Of course, Mother. I will be fine here with Master Lu……” She trailed off, not sure how to address him.

“That’s it? You hand me two children and just leave?” Luke raised his voice to Teneniel.

“It’s the best I can do.” She held out another data card. “This has any legal proof you might need but feel free to do your own checking.”

Mara intervened and took the data card. “We plan to.”

“Then I will say goodbye. Luke…Mara, I know you believe what I did was wrong. I can only say again that I believe I did what was best for my daughter and myself. Please try to understand that. May the Force be with you.” She left, closing the door behind her.

Tenel Ka looked at the still-stunned faces of Master Luke and Mara. “Please don’t be angry.” She turned to Mark and said, “Come on, Mark, I’m thirsty. Let’s go into the kitchenette and get something to drink and talk. That is, if it’s all right with you, Mara.”

Mara looked from Tenel Ka to Mark and he seemed to stare blankly ahead for a moment then smile, and said, “I’d like that.”

“Yes, go ahead. There’s stim tea or caf, and there is also fresh juice in the cooling unit,” Mara said softly.

“Do you have any hot chocolate?” asked Mark.

Luke’s head turned sharply and he gasped. In a suddenly hoarse voice, he said, “In the cupboard next to the cooking unit.”

The young man smiled shyly at him and walked away with Tenel Ka.

As soon as they left, Mara turned to Luke and said, “Luke, I want you to do something for me.”

“Anything, Mara,” he whispered softly, and he ran his hand through his hair absently.

“I know your feelings are confused, but I also know you are already feeling connected to these two. I don’t care how much he looks, talks, and acts like you, or what you say you feel through the Force. You need to be careful here. Before we do anything else, we need to do a genetic scan on both of them.”

“But, Mara, I know what the scan will say. I can feel it. They will think I don’t trust them.”

“There are other things to consider besides a few bruised egos. There are legalities that need to be addressed. Especially if the ruler of Hapes changes his mind and wants his daughter back. You may need to claim your paternity in court. You also need to eliminate any possibility of deception here.”

Luke opened his mouth to object, but Mara quickly cut him off. “Look, I know you’re reluctant to consider that, and you are most likely correct, but I think we need to eliminate all doubts.”

Luke watched Mara carefully. She thought she was hiding it well, but he knew her better than she thought he did. She could feel him probing her, desperate for reassurance and she was trying to put aside her own feelings in order to help him through this, but this was just a lot to take in.

“You’re right, Mara. I’m thinking with my emotions right now.” He lifted her chin up so she would look him in the eye. “But I’m not the only one this is affecting. You, my dear, are doing the exact opposite. You’re hiding your feelings behind reason and logic and that is just as flawed. We should be celebrating the impending arrival of our child. Instead, because of me, you are forced to wallow in my past relationships. You need to tell me what you’re feeling. We need to deal with it.”

Once more the power of their inner bond comforted her. As he continued to talk, her barriers crumbled.

“I’m so sorry, Mara…..I love you,” he whispered, just before he pressed his lips to hers and enfolded her into his arms.

When they finally parted, he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, and Mara said, “I don’t like any of this, Luke. It’s not right what they did and that makes me angry, and upset and possessive and if I was younger I’d want to kill you again, but I love you and we will deal with this together. Though you are going to owe me big for this farmboy.”

“I’m afraid to find out when you are ready to collect,” he said, and kissed her again. “I think I’ll go get us some water, okay?”

“Okay,” she said.

He walked off towards the kitchenette, and Mara leaned back on the couch to wait for him. She heard the soft sounds of muffled conversation, and the sound of running water, then the next thing she knew, someone was knocking on their door again.

_Oh what now?!_ she thought. Mara got up and headed for the door. She flung it open and the bottom seemed to drop out of her little world.

Luke must have felt the horrified shock come off of Mara in waves and he quickly ran into the common room, carrying two glasses of water. The door was open and standing there was…. The glasses slipped out of his hands and fell to the floor in a loud crash.

“Callista,” he breathed out raggedly. For it was not only the sight of his former love that disturbed him, but the two children she had with her.

Beside her stood two young boys, identical twins. If Mara had to guess they looked to be somewhere between 11 and 13 years old. They each had Callista’s malt brown hair and eyes as blue as a desert sky. The boys were staring at Luke with an intense curiosity, their Force presence powerful, and radiating his too.

Caught in both her shock and his horror, Mara fled from Luke’s mind not wanting to feel anything he might be feeling right now, “Excuse me….I’m not feeling well.” And she ran towards the refresher. Behind the door she knew that Luke could hear the sound of her retching.

Totally confused as to what to do or say first, Luke mumbled incoherently.

I…..um…..come in….Mara’s….I mean, I’ll be right back. He fled to check on Mara, unable to face the reality in his common room. All he could do was mumble over and over as if to convince himself. “They’re not mine…They’re not mine…Gods! Tell me they’re not mine.”

Hearing the sound of glass shattering, Tenel Ka and Mark ran into the room. Callista and the boys still stood in the hallway, so Tenel Ka motioned for them to come in. “You must be Callista,” she said, having recognized her from pictures Tionne had shown her.

“I’m sure Master Luke will be right back. Why don’t you all sit down while Mark and I clean up this mess.”

“Well, that went as expected,” Callista said sadly. She pointed her boys to the couch; took a seat in the facing chair; and watched the two young people clean up the spilled water and broken glass.

In the refresher, Mara splashed the running water over her face. “Shavit! Get a hold of yourself Mara!” Her pulse raced and she struggled to clear her head.  _What was Callista doing here_?  A tiny voice inside her pointed out the obvious.  _She’s brought Luke some more children, that’s what. Think, Mara, think. What the kriff was going on here?_   She washed her mouth out and covered her face with a towel to dry it off.

Two hands touched her shoulders and pulled her back into his arms. “Mara,” Luke said, and the sound of his voice was strained and fearful. “Are you all right?” His hands went around her waist, and, as though he feared she might flee, pulled her tight against him.

When she said nothing, he hurriedly continued, “I don’t know why this is happening, Mara, but I can’t lose you. Tell me you’ll help me figure this out.”

She turned in his arms and her face was worried but calm. “This is no coincidence, Luke. Something very wrong is at work here. I don’t know what, but I do know one thing. Nothing or no one is going to make you lose me, especially not her. You are mine Skywalker. You got that?

“Got it. Come on; let’s go out and see what Callista’s doing here. I don’t want to. I’m afraid of what she is going to say, but we need answers.”

Mara took a deep, shuddering breath and said, “Okay, I think I’m ready, but she’d better not try to pull anything. I’m not in the mood to be nice.”

“Somehow that doesn’t help my nerves Jade.”

 

Callista stood up when she heard them enter. Mara and Luke walked towards her holding hands, presenting a united front. Callista sighed as they approached. She looked over at the two boys, talking quietly among themselves and for a moment Mara thought she could see a trace of tears in her eyes.

“Hello, Luke…Mara.” She nodded to both of them.

Luke took a moment to search for Callista’s Force sense, and Mara did as well but they could tell from the blankness that surrounded the woman, that nothing had changed. Mara’s fear that she had regained her powers and wanted to get Luke back into her life were only partially eased, because there were those two boys with her. She saw Luke glance quickly to the couch and then at Callista directly.

“Hello, Callista. I’m sorry we didn’t greet you properly. You were a bit of a surprise.”

“I understand.”

Mara had to ask; as hard as it was, there was no point in putting it off: “What can we do for you? Why did you come?”

“I’m glad you’re together Mara, Luke; I really am. It makes what I came to tell you easier for me.” She waved her hand for the boys to stand up next to her.

“Wait,” Mark said, as he and Tenel Ka returned from the kitchen. “Perhaps Tenel Ka and I should leave first.”

“No,” Mara said before Luke could agree with him. “Stay, please.”

Luke looked at her, but did not question her judgment.

Callista smiled encouragingly at her children and said, “Luke…Mara. I want you to meet my sons.” She squeezed the shoulder of the boy on her left. “This is Surinen.” Then she moved the boy to her right and forward a bit. “And this is Lirinen. Boys, this is your father, Luke Skywalker, and his wife. Mara.”

The two boys moved forward and in solemn, well-rehearsed voices, said together, “It is a great honor to finally meet you, Sir.” Mara couldn’t help but feel the hackles of her neck rise at the dual responses and the strange way they both turned to look at her. She had the uncomfortable feeling that their eyes had turned silver for a brief moment before turning back to their normal color.

Luke and Mara heard Tenel Ka and Mark’s sharp intake of breath behind them, but only barely. It seemed to take all Luke’s strength to maintain the polite smile he had on his face. Inside Mara could feel that he wanted to scream, shout, rage at this woman in front of him. He was in her head talking, sudden pain added to to the mix.  _What was it about him that made these women believe that his children were better off without him? Luke Skywalker…great to be with for a short time, but not father material._ But she knew that he couldn’t rage. In front of him two young boys waited to be acknowledged and he knew it. He reached out for his bond with Mara like a lifeline, and she sent him back the assurance he sought despite Mara’s misgivings.

He moved forward and held out his hands to them. “I'm glad to meet you too. I wish I had known about you sooner.” He shook hands with the both of them and they all stared at each other, searching and examining each other’s faces. Mara came up to them as well, her own barely held in rage simmering underneath her shields and said, “Hello, Surinen…Lirinen. Are either of you hungry?” She looked over at Tenel Ka to see if she understood her intent, and received a nod in response.

Lirinen shook his head yes, and Surinen’s carefully-held poker face brightened. “The Jedi students are eating their lunch now. How would you like to go with Tenel and Mark to the main dining room, and we’ll talk with your mother while you’re eating?”

The twins looked at their mother for permission, eager to escape from the emotional scene, the way most adolescent boys would be.

“Go ahead,” Callista said, and she ruffled their hair a bit. She watched as they left with the young woman and the man who looked so much like Luke. “Here it comes.” She whispered to herself.

Mara sat down and motioned for Callista to do the same. Luke remained standing, too agitated to sit and it was with a quiet, cold voice that he spoke to her. “Why Callista? Why have you come now and not all those years ago?”

“I had to, Luke. Maybe it was the Force at work; I don’t know, but I couldn’t wait anymore.”

“You had to?!”

Mara flinched at the anger in Luke’s voice, hearing in it long-suppressed pain. It hurt, knowing this woman once had a piece of his heart, but surprisingly, not as much as she would have expected. He loved her now and always would. She knew that, as surely as she knew she needed air to breathe.

“Why didn’t you HAVE to tell me when you found out you were pregnant? Or when I saw you on Nam Chorios or any of the days, weeks, months, YEARS after that?! You didn’t HAVE to tell me then, apparently.”

Tears streamed down Callista’s face.

“Why wait until I’m finally happy?” He grabbed Mara’s hand.

Callista’s eyes widened, and she struggled to control her emotions. She wiped angrily at the tears on her face; stood up; and turned her back on them. When she turned around, strength, pain, and angry defiance, showed on her face.

“You don’t know me, Luke. You never really did. I didn’t come here to mess up your happy, little life. I came to do what was right for our sons. Yes, I made mistakes. My pride has always been a failing of mine. I thought,…I truly thought, I could find my way back to the Force and come to you whole. That’s what I told myself until I discovered I was pregnant.”

“I wanted the kind of bond you have with Mara.” She brushed at her hair to get it off her face. “At first, when I was sure of the test results, I hopped the first shuttle I could find for Yavin. But we were delayed for two weeks on some Force-forsaken planet I can’t remember. It gave me time to think, and I knew you would insist on getting married.   I couldn’t face that. I couldn’t face the thought of having you, yet not having “all” of you. I wanted to feel you the way I did on the Eye.”

“I was afraid of having to watch you share with our child what I couldn’t, or worse, watching your disappointment if my Force-binders covered the baby. I was afraid I might want it so badly, I would use the dark side to do it. So I went back the way I came. Yes, I had too much pride.”

“That’s not it, Callista.” Luke said. “You still won’t admit it, will you?”

“What do you mean?”

“All those things you said …yes…they may all be true, but the real reason you didn’t tell me… the deep and abiding reason was you could never forgive me. You said it yourself. You blamed me for your loss of the Force. You warned me you might never get past it, but I wouldn’t listen.”

“You cheated death and you tried to love me…but none of it mattered because you couldn’t love me enough not to blame me. You kept my sons away as payback. Oh, I know not consciously; I’m sure you convinced yourself that you had other reasons, but the end result was the same. Wasn’t it?!”

Lightning flashed in her smoky eyes briefly, and she shuddered. A dark ripple spread out from her and quickly died.

“Luke!” Mara’s hand clutched his for a moment.

Callista turned her back on them again. “There….Now you see why I’ve come back. Perhaps you’re right, Luke, and I’m sorry. I tried to teach them what I could about the Force, but I knew that some day they would need your guidance, your love. I knew that some day I would lose them to you, so perhaps I held them close against this day. I can’t do that anymore. I’m a danger to them.”

“Callista, if you could accept what you are now and let go of the past, you would never be a danger to them.” The anger in him suddenly died as she turned around, her inner pain and fear evident in her eyes. Her tightly held features reflecting her own private hell.

“I thought I did. Then one day, the twins were playing in a ravine near our place, and they decided to climb up the sides. The dirt was still damp from the rain the day before. I warned them not to go that way, but they ran away from me. You know how kids are. They were racing to see who could make it to the top first. Then one of them started to fall and knocked down the other. I screamed. I had to save them or they would have been killed, so I used my fear to touch the dark power and I pulled as hard as I could. The boys practically flew over the top. It wasn’t the last time I used the dark side to protect them, Luke, and it’s getting harder to shake off each time I do. Don’t you see? They can’t live with me anymore. I love them too much to allow them to stay any longer.”

“Callista,” Luke said, “I don’t believe you would hurt your own children.”

“That’s just it, Luke. I can’t be sure of that anymore. As long as I only have myself to worry about, I can control this.”

“They need you, Luke. They’ve always needed you, and I’m sorry. Mara…they’re going to need you too. Please take care of them for me. They still need a mother. I remember when we first met…how protective of Luke you were, even when you pretended not to be. I’m not abandoning them. I’ll call if I’m able, but I need to know that they’re safe, here with you.”

Mara looked at Luke. This was all too much to take in one day How could she ask this of her and why now? What if this was some dark side trick of Callista’s?

Luke’s face mirrored Mara’s fears as he looked back at Callista. “Do they know, they’re going to be staying here with me?”

“Yes, we discussed this possibility many times. They are good boys, a little reckless, perhaps, but I guess we know where that came from,” she attempted a smile. “I want to say goodbye to them alone. After I’m done, I will send them back here. I hope you don’t mind; I took the liberty of having all their things unloaded while we talked.” Luke gave her an incredulous stare. “I know you too well, Luke. I knew you would never reject them.”

“Perhaps but we do expect proof.”

“I’m not lying but your tests will prove that.”

Later, with Callista gone, Mara and Luke sat in their apartment, and watched Surinen and Lirinen play a word puzzle game with Tenel Ka and Mark. Luke picked up a glass of Corellian whiskey and drank it down. Mara envied him this. The Jedi Master was not much of a drinker, but she could hardly blame him, as she could use one herself. Pregnancy had its drawbacks, she thought resignedly, and she let out a sigh. Nothing Callista told them, however, could explain why they now had a room full of Luke’s children… _.room full of children…no…it couldn’t be._

Luke caught the change in her sense, and placed his hand in hers. “What is it Mara?”

“Luke…” but that was all she got out, because there was a knock on the door. Luke started to get up, thinking that more of the boys’ things had arrived, but Mara grabbed his hand to stop him.

“No. Let me,” she said, and he frowned. Mara walked over to the door, suddenly as nervous as a fleet mouse. She opened the door to…nothing.

No one was there.

By now, Luke had come up behind her. She stepped out into the hallway and looked both ways, but to no avail. The hall was deserted. Luke walked out with her, and she tried to sense through the Force for someone’s presence, but all she could feel was the distant thrum of the academy students’ minds. They looked at each other in confusion.

“You did hear that, didn’t you?” Mara asked. “Someone did knock?”

“Yes, I did. This is very strange.”

Mara walked back in and Luke closed the door behind them a sudden foreboding flooding into her. They returned to the common room and not long afterward, the faint sound of childish giggling floated in the air around them. Luke looked questioningly at Mara.

“You hear that?” He queried, and looked around the room.

“Yes,” Mara said. As soon as she said it, they heard it again, this time closer to the dining area. Luke walked into the room and over to the table. His new-found children were deep in discussion over whether a certain word should be allowed, and did not look at him until he spoke.

“Did any of you hear someone laughing?” He asked. Mara came up beside him just as a series of “No father,” replies came back at him. Inwardly, she felt him wince at the title. This was going to take a lot of getting used to and he seemed not to notice that they all turned to stare at her when he turned his head away and it frightened her.

“Oh…okay,” he said, growing more confused. He placed his arm around Mara’s waist and steered her back towards the other room. On his way, something light brushed against his leg, and he whipped around to see what it was, but again, nothing was there.

“What? What is it Luke?” Mara said to him.

He looked at her and said, “Someone’s here, Mara. They’re shielding their presence somehow, but someone is in this apartment.”

The giggling returned, this time louder and closer. Mara pulled away from him and they both turned towards the laughing but it tapered off as if the person was walking away.

“It sounds like a child, Mara.”

“Could one of the twins be doing this?”

“I don’t sense either of them using the force right now so, I don’t think so.”

Mara jumped when she felt a tug on her tunic and more giggling.

“Who’s there? Show yourself.”

The sound was not directional enough so they both began a more thorough search of the suite. Luke headed for the guest bedroom and refresher, Mara walked into their bedroom and began looking around, under the bed and in the closet, anywhere she could think of for someone to hide, though if they were cloaking themselves she knew she wouldn’t find anything. She paused for a moment as she caught her own reflection in a long mirror and adjusted her ponytail which was becoming too loose. Seconds before she was about to turn away a figure appeared in the reflection behind her, so close Mara was shocked that she could sense nothing. It was almost translucent, in the form of a child who’s eyes watched her intently and it all happened so quickly that Mara involuntarily cried out in alarm. Mara whipped around but there was nobody behind her.

Sensing her alarm Luke came running into the room. “Mara, what’s wrong? Did you find someone?”

“Luke, there was something behind me. I saw it in the mirror.”

He made a quick search of the room with the force and his eyes and shook his head. “I can’t feel anything.”

“I know. But I’m telling you. There was a child in the room.”

“I believe you. I think maybe we need to get out of here right now. If there is a sith or some other dark presence here we should go somewhere where we can regroup, where you are safe.”

They went back out into the common room. Suddenly, Mara gasped as a woman appeared grabbing onto the hand of a small little girl. It was as if they formed out of thin air before them.

“Raissa! Stop this, this instant! It’s not nice to frighten people.”

The little girl continued to laugh, until her mother knelt down in front of her and gave her a stern look. When the child’s laughing subsided, the woman stood up, but still held onto her hand.

“I’m so sorry for this. I didn’t mean for us to arrive this way, but Raissa had other ideas, I’m afraid.”

Luke stood next to Mara, and she watched his face turn as white as a sheet. Mara assessed her trying to come up with a name. The woman in front of them was about average height, with long, light- brown hair that hung down her back in an intricate braid. Her dark eyes stood out, complimented by her clothes, which were simple but refined. The little girl was about 6 or 7 years old, with honey-blonde hair, warm brown eyes, and a… dimpled chin.

 

“Akanah,” Luke said in a voice choked with dread.

“Hello, Luke.”

Akanah …Akanah, where had she heard that name before? Mara’s mind worked frantically to recall the memory. Judging by Luke’s reaction, she must have been…..and then it hit her. Her eyes riveted on the little girl.  _No_ , she groaned in her mind. _Not again, this can’t be happening again. This was wrong, all of this was wrong._ Nothing made any sense. She looked to Luke, whose mind quickly went from surprise, to recognition, then a moment of confusion, alarm, and finally on the verge of total panic.

Finally finding his voice when anger filtered in, he said, “Hello, Akanah. Is this just a habit of yours, or do all Fallanassi invade people’s homes without invitation?”

She tried to ignore the reference to their first meeting and said, “I believe I already apologized for entering like this, but it couldn’t be helped.” The little girl tugged on her mother and said, “Is that really him, Mommy?”

“Yes, dear; now shhhh.”

“Luke, I have something important we need to talk about.”

Mara moaned beside him.

“Don’t tell me…let me guess. You’ve come to tell me that this little girl is my daughter.”

She looked at him sharply. “You’re a very perceptive man, but then you always were. Yes, we do have a daughter. Her name is Raissa.”

“And why should I believe you? You’re a very practiced liar, Akanah. Good enough to fool a Jedi Master,” he said with some bitterness.

“Still not forgiven, am I?” she replied with an edge of pain in her voice.

The sound of their voices brought the other children into the room. Mark walked over to his father and said, “Is something wrong, Father? Who is this?”

“Wrong?” Luke said “All of this is wrong. I’m not sure I know what is right anymore.” Unknowingly, Luke’s thoughts echoed Mara’s. Instead, he turned to the young man claiming to be his son and said, “ I’m sorry. This is just an old acquaintance of mine. Why don’t you go back to the kitchen and keep the boys entertained for us while we talk.” He placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder and squeezed it a little. “Thank you.”

The young man smiled at Luke, and it was almost like looking at her husband. Mara watched while Mark and Tenel Ka ushered the boys back into the dining room, and then turned her attention to Luke, who stood next to her with an unreadable expression on his face. He needed her now more than ever. She was his anchor, and the only thing he could hang onto right now, but how much could they both take? “Mara,” he said desperately, and he laced his fingers between hers. She squeezed his hand, and he reached into their bond as if it was a draught of cool water after hours in the desert, his relief was that great. Then he turned his gaze back at Akanah.

“Did you actually expect forgiveness, Akanah? I don’t know what is real and what is an illusion with you…do I? Is all this chaos your doing?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about. What is real is this little girl, Luke.” And she moved her daughter in front of her. “I thought you were a man who listens before he judges people.”

The rebuke hit its mark apparently by the way Luke responded. Somehow, she had managed to take his words and actions and turn them back on him. Mara knew that look well. All the times she’d laid bare his flaws with a few well chosen words that seemed to be necessary at the time did not make it easy to watch someone else do the same thing to him. In fact it just made her mad. Mara looked down at the little girl who was wrapping one of her golden ringlets around her finger as she played with her hair, seemingly oblivious to the adults’ conversation.

Illusion or not, everything felt real, and they needed to act accordingly. She was only a child and would not understand the complex emotions floating around and looking at her now,  she seemed so different from what Mara had thought she saw in the mirror. What was there to fear from a child? Mara was about to make a suggestion when Luke spoke.

“You’re right, Akanah. I do need to listen, but I don’t think your daughter should.”

Akanah looked around the room. “She’ll be fine over here.” It was only then that Luke’s eyes tracked to the bag slung over Akanah’s shoulders. She ushered Raissa over to the unlit hearth in the corner, pulled out some dolls from the bag, and sat her down on the rug. The little girl’s face lit up in a smile when she saw her favorite doll come out, and she grabbed it from her mother. Soon she was lost in imaginary conversation, and Akanah returned.

“There…I think we’re safe now.”

“Why today?” Mara asked suddenly, and Akanah looked at her in confusion. Mara rephrased her question. “Why did you come here today, and not some other day?”

“I…I don’t understand. I came when I could. I didn’t plan the day. I just input the coordinates to Yavin and my ship arrived on schedule.”

Mara breathed in and out in frustration.

“Never mind,” Luke said. “I think it’s time to hear your explanation. Why didn’t you come to me when you learned you were pregnant?” He motioned them all to the seating area, and they sat down.

“I wanted to tell you; I really did, but the Circle had other ideas. They said I had to choose. I could either live in your world or theirs, but I was not to bring you to the Fallanassi.”

Mara felt a wave of bitterness course through Luke at her words, as he relived for a moment, Akanah’s lies and the Circle’s rejection.

“They could not have you coming back and forth, risking their exposure each time. Luke, you were with me. You know what I went through trying to find them. What I risked. I’d been apart so long, and I just couldn’t …” Her voice broke. I couldn’t leave.”

“So why are you here now?”

“As time went by, she grew to be more and more like you. As each milestone approached, with every new skill she mastered, I was constantly reminded of the things I was denying you. Then she started to ask about her father. I hoped with time the Circle would allow me to bring you there, but their fear of discovery was too great, and they left me with only one option. I deceived you in the worst way, and I knew you might never forgive me for keeping her from you. This is killing me…. but it’s the only way I can make up for what I did.”

“So you’re saying, you left the Circle?”

For a moment her eyes filled with moisture, and she turned her face from them. When she turned back, she spoke in a shaky voice.

“No, I’m going home…. Alone.” And with that, the tears did spill down her face. “I don’t think she understands that I won’t be coming back. I tried to explain it to her but…”

“Akanah, you can’t.” Luke said, but she waved a hand to cut him off.

She stood up. “No Luke, don’t say anything. I made my choice.” She walked over to Raissa and picked her up, hugging her fiercely. “Mommy has to go now. Remember what we talked about?”

“Uh huh,” Raissa nodded her head.

“Remember, how I would make the illusion of Daddy from my memories, so you could talk and laugh with him?”

“Yes! He looks just like you made him.”

“Well, remember why we came here. You’re going to live with him, just like I told you. Now you can be with him for real, every day, and he won’t be sad anymore.”

She kissed her daughter’s head, and put her back down on the rug.

“Don’t worry, Mommy. Don’t cry. I won’t let him be sad.”

“I know you won’t, Raissa,” and she hugged her once more. “Promise to be a good little girl for your father.”

“Okay, Mommy.”  
Mother and daughter embraced, and Akanah held on tightly saying, “I love you, never forget that.”

“Love you too.”

After a long time, Akanah stood up.

“Will you come back when you’re done with the Circle?” Raissa asked.

“I’ll always be with you,” Akanah said, deflecting the question. “Whenever you miss me, just make my picture, the way I taught you.” She held her daughter’s hand for one last moment, and returned to Luke and Mara.

The abandoned child in Mara rose up from the depths of her soul and she grabbed Luke’s arm and squeezed it tightly. “Luke, stop her. We need her here and the girl needs her mother. We need to know who or what is orchestrating all this. ”

Luke and Mara stood up as she approached. He started to speak, but Akanah again cut him off.

“If I don’t leave now, I never will. Give this to her when she’s old enough to understand.” With her back turned to her child, the tears she was holding in spilled out. She placed a message cube in Luke’s hand and before they could do anything to stop her, Akanah vanished into the white current.

“Akanah, NO!” Luke shouted.

“Good-bye, Mommy.” a small voice said in the corner, and they both turned to look at the child who smiled back at them.

Something reached in and gripped Luke’s heart like a vice, and Mara could not take the pain rolling off of him in waves so she fled to the bedroom. The little girl smiled shyly at Luke and he worked hard to make his muscles form a smile for her. It was a difficult thing to do when you couldn’t breathe. Their world had gone mad and no rationalization he or Mara could come up with, could make it make sense of it. The sound of the other children laughing caught Raissa’s attention, and she ran over to Luke and grabbed his hand.

“Who are they? Can I see them?” she asked, as if they had been father and daughter her whole life. Without waiting for him to reply, she pulled him into the dining room. After some confused explanations and puzzled looks, he was finally able to leave her, happily talking to the twins. In the bedroom, he found Mara wiping away tears that she was hiding.

“I guess I really am pregnant. My emotions are already kicking in. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do, kill her mother or comfort that child, but I couldn’t do either,” she said to Luke, as he walked over to the bed and sat down beside her.

“Is she all right?”

“Yes, surprisingly, yes. Mara,…. I’m sorry…I keep saying that but I don’t have any explanation for this. None of this should be happening,” he said, and he moved his arm across her shoulder.

“ I noticed you didn’t deny having relations with this one. Luke, we need to talk…”

Outside the bedroom, the sound of yelling interrupted their words. They walked over to the door to see what the commotion was, and saw the twins chasing Raissa around the common room. Mark was sitting on the large, stuffed chair laughing, and Tenel Ka stood off to the side with a stern expression on her face.

“Stop that!” They heard her yell to the younger children.

Raissa was laughing hard because she had stolen both of the boys’ pastries, and was doing a very good job of keep away. The twins had ideas of their own, however, and decided to trap her by flanking her on either side of the couch. They approached her from opposite directions, thinking she had nowhere to flee. Raissa stood her ground, and made no attempt to move as they edged closer. Just as they started to pounce, she vanished, leaving the two boys to crash into each other. Empty-aired giggling could be heard throughout the room, and she reappeared near the entrance to the kitchenette.

This made Mark laugh harder, causing Surinen and Lirinen to scowl and take off after her again, trying to prove that they could not be outsmarted by a little girl. Again, she vanished on them, just as they tried to grab her. Tenel yelled again, “Raissa Skywalker! You stop right now and give those pastries back to the boys.” She then turned her attention to Mark. “And you are not making this any better by laughing. Stand up and help me here,” she demanded.

The next few minutes were spent in pandemonium as they all tried to catch the little girl. The game only came to a close when she finally got bored and decided, on her own, to give back the deserts.

Mara stood next to Luke in the doorway as they watched the little scene unfold. “You did this,” she whispered to him.

He looked at her, and she continued, “Look at them Luke. You wished for a room full of children and now they’re here.”

“Mara…I…that’s impossible…How could….?” He stopped and looked again, the sinking feeling in his stomach telling him that she was right.

Mara paced back and forth in the room and looked in the mirror again. Something was off. She didn’t look right but pale or no that wasn’t it. Mara held up her hand to the mirror light and it was as if she could see through her hand, like she was a ghost.

“No!” her voice trembled. “No. None of this is real Luke. They’re not real. Sith! Luke, I don’t even know if I’m real, and I’m scared.”

He pulled her into his arms, and made her look into his eyes. “Mara, you’re as real as I am. I feel you in my arms and in my soul. Tell me this isn’t real.” Before she could make any protest, he crushed his mouth to hers possessively, and as always, they became lost in the breathtaking tide of emotions that flowed back and forth across their Force bond. He kissed her until her doubts eased and then some more, because he could never get enough of her. Eventually, they eased apart, and he tried to lighten her mood.

“Look at it this way. There are no more women left in my life to come….” Suddenly, Mara had grabbed him by his shirt and had him pinned up against the wall. Her eyes were wide with dread.

“Numbers! Skywalker, I need numbers!” she hissed at him.

“What? Mara….?” He tried to get out.

“Rogue Squadron,” she said hoarsely. “How many?”

“How many what? Mara, what’s wrong?”

“Women, Farmboy! Your groupies…How many did you…?” She stopped when she saw that he finally got it.

Luke’s big blue eyes went as wide as she’d ever seen them. “No…you don’t really think that….No!”

She still held him, and asked again, “How many?”

Luke’s face had turned white and then red as he sheepishly held up four fingers.

Mara let her hands drop and then covered her face and moaned.

Outside in the common room, the little group had found something else to argue about, and so they did not hear the rapping commence on the Jedi’s door.

Inside Luke’s bedroom, the sound seemed as loud as a death knell. “Don’t open it,” she pleaded to him.  
Neither one of them moved, but the knocking continued. When not knowing became worse than knowing, Mara followed him to the door.

Afraid to go any further, she stopped by the entrance to the kitchenette. Luke opened the door.

“Hello, Luke. How are you? I have something important I need to tell you.”

Mara screamed. Luke backed up, his face a mixture of horror and disbelief. Unable to handle the image in front of him, his mind took the only escape it could think of when confronted with the impossible.  
He blacked out.

“Luke!” Leia exclaimed. “Mara, what’s wrong?”

“Uncle Luke?” a voice behind Leia said.

“Oh, Anakin, I didn’t hear you catch up to me.”

Leia knelt down by Luke and looked at Mara, who was now laughing in a strange, almost hysterical way.

“Why did he faint? I only wanted to let him know that I finished the negotiations sooner than I expected and was dropping Anakin off early.”

Mara had no words. All she could do was attend to her husband. Without even trying to explain to Leia she ushered her out as quickly as possible. Behind her 5 children watched and in perfect synchronization their arms reached forward, palms up.

She had no idea at what point she ended up in bed with Luke, but somehow she did and had fallen asleep alongside him.

 

“Luke.” Mara shook him, and Luke tossed and moaned. “Farmboy, wake up! Come on.”

“Nnnnoooo. Mara, don’t leave me. It’s not true…It’s not true.” She shook him again.

“Wake up, Luke.” She tapped his cheek a little, and he sat up screaming.

Mara gripped his shoulders and forced him to see her. “Luke, it’s all right; I’m here.”

He looked around the room wild-eyed and found he was sitting up in bed, his wife looking at him with concern. He pulled her tight against him wrapping his arms around her.

“Are you okay?” she asked tenderly.

“I didn’t Mara, I promise you I didn’t.”

“Didn’t what Luke?”

His pulse was still racing, and the apartment was strangely quiet.

“Where is everyone?”

“Who?” Mara asked.

“Leia, Tenel Ka, Mark, the others?”

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about, Blue Eyes. There’s nobody here but us. That must have been some nightmare you were having.” Yet she had the strange feeling like she should know what he was referring to. Like she had escaped from something, or somewhere.

He grabbed her hand and looked at her intently. “It wasn’t real?” He started to laugh. The rush of relief he felt spilled into her mind like waves. “Oh, Mara, thank the stars it was just a dream, you wouldn’t believe it.”

“That bad huh?”

“You have no idea.”

She leaned forward to kiss him, and he pulled her into his arms with such a feeling of joy and contentment beyond what he usually projected that Mara felt a smile spread across her face. She loved the feel of running her fingers through his hair while he kissed her, and the touch of his lips as they traveled down to the curve of her neck. It sent little shivers of excitement all through her body. They only pulled apart when the com started to beep and Mara reluctantly got up to answer it. Several minutes later she returned to the bed sitting down with a strange look on her face.

“I have something to tell you, but I’m not sure if you’ve recovered from your nightmare yet.”

“No, I’m fine. Go ahead, unless it’s bad news, that is. I’m not sure I like the sound of your voice.”

“Cilghal called.”

His face took on a worried expression, and he said, “There’s nothing wrong with the baby, is there?”

“No, no, nothing’s wrong. I’m fine, but there is a complication.”

“What is it?”

“Well,” she gave him a bemused grin, “I guess you’re more powerful than I thought. Looks like you’re going to get that room full of children after all. We’re having five.”

Luke Skywalker, pilot and farmboy, Jedi Master and husband, fell back on the couch and moaned.

 

The end.


End file.
